Parallel semicontinuous or continuous reactors

Abstract

Parallel semi-continuous or continuous reactors are disclosed. The parallel reactors preferably comprise four or more reaction vessels. The reaction vessels are preferably small volume reaction vessels, preferably pressure reaction vessels, and / or preferably integral with a common reactor block. The reaction vessels can comprise shaft-driven stirrers. At least two, preferably at least three or at least four liquid feed lines can provide selective fluid communication between each of the reaction vessels and one or more liquid reagent sources. Additional features, suitable in connection with parallel reactors or with single reaction vessels are also disclosed.

Description

[0001]The present invention is directed to parallel reactors, and in particular, to parallel research reactors suitable for use in a combinatorial (i.e., high-throughput) materials science research program. The invention is directed, in particular, to parallel semicontinuous or continuous reactors, and in preferred embodiments, to parallel semicontinuous or continuous stirred reactors. The invention is also directed to methods of using such parallel reactors for synthesis and / or screening of materials or process conditions, to methods for synthesizing combinatorial libraries of materials, and to methods for screening combinatorial libraries of materials, such as catalysts.BACKGROUND[0002]The present invention is related to the following co-owned, U.S. patent applications, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes: U.S. Ser. No. 60 / 255,716 filed Dec. 14, 2000 by Safir et al., entitled “Parallel Semicontinuous or Continuous Stirred Reactors”; U.S. Ser. No. 60 / ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the deficiencies of known parallel reactors, and especially known parallel research reactors. In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide apparatus, methodologies, and software (or firmware) that will enable a research scientist to effect simultaneous reactions in a parallel reactor system having multiple feeds, with efficient stirring for polymerization reaction mixtures and with substantial flexibility for feed configuration, reaction conditions, and feed-protocols.

[0023]Advantageously, the present invention overcomes many deficiencies of the prior art. In particular, the multiple-feed reactors of the present invention offer substantial simplicity in design, and afford efficient, effective assembly and disassembly for access to the reaction vessel(s). Moreover, unique design features enable a multiple feed configuration suitable for spatially constrained reactors—such as relatively small volume reactors having shaft-driven stirring—even for relatively higher numbers of feed lines per reactor. The instant inventions also provide substantial flexibility and control over the nature of the feed addition to the reaction vessel. Furthermore, the parallel reactors disclosed herein are especially advantageous with respect to applications involving evaluation of process / protocol parameter space involving multiple reactants—including without limitation, the sequence, total volume, rate, and temporal profile of reactant addition to a reaction vessel, together with temperature profiles and / or pressure profiles.

Problems solved by technology

Although such parallel reactors can be advantageously applied for many polymer research applications (synthesis or screening of materials), the disclosed reactor systems have only limited capabilities for providing multiple reactants to the reaction vessel during the reaction.

These parallel research reactors and other instruments are not, however, generally useful for polymerization research—typically involving higher temperatures, higher pressures and / or in some cases, non-aqueous solvents Moreover, such reactors have limited feed capability during the reaction, and as such, are not generally adaptable for semi-continuous operation with multiple feed streams.

In addition to the aforementioned limitations associated with particular designs, known parallel reactor designs generally suffer from common deficiencies—particularly with respect to applications for polymer research or other applications.

In general, known designs are substantially limited with respect to operational flexibility, and do not generally offer higher numbers of feed lines per reactor in combination with desirable higher pressures, higher temperatures, and effective stirring (for polymerization reaction mixtures), in a semicontinuous or continuous operational mode.

In particular, the known reactor designs are spatially constrained, and offer limited flexibility for incorporating larger number of feed lines to a relatively small volume reactors.

Further, assembly and / or disassembly of the systems (e.g., for reactor vessel access) arc relatively complicated, and would result in significant “down time” during an experimental cycle.

Moreover, the known designs do not advantageously provide the desired control of feed addition (e.g. feeding of precise, incremental amounts of reagents) to the reaction vessel during a reaction under reaction conditions.

Finally, the known parallel reactors offer only moderate flexibility, if any, with respect to evaluating process / protocol parameter space involving multiple reactants—including the sequence, total volume, rate, and temporal profile of reactant addition to a reaction vessel.

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